What Fate Dictates
by TheDarkTulip
Summary: With the world in ruin, a few lone survivors find a scroll that could change everything. But when the wrong person gets sent back, what can she do to change the fate of the world? My name is Shoko Hyuuga, and I'm going to change the fate of the world. A rewrite of Ivory Light
1. Chapter 1

With the world in ruin, a few lone survivors find a scroll that could change everything. But when the wrong person gets sent back, what can she do to change the fate of the world? My name is Shoko Hyuuga, and I'm going to change the fate of the world.

It's dark, it's always dark now. My eyes let me know where everyone is, where those… _things…_ are. Sakura is nearby, her chakra is green and thick, bleeding out from her pores as she leads the way. Gaara is just behind me, his chakra is blood tinged yellow, like the sand infused in his very soul.

Sumie, hers is red. Hot and fiery, like she is. Shikamaru rounds off our group, his chakra is green to, but it's thinner, lighter. More connected to his head than his heart.

We, are it.

Everyone else, as far as we are aware, is _gone._

Naruto…dead, Sasuke…dead, my entire clan…gone.

Kaguya has taken, and killed, all of them.

I couldn't tell you how we managed to get away, I was an accident, you don't get to choose who you free from the jujtsu it just happens. Shikamaru and Naruto only had the ability to save four, in exchange for Naruto's own life, and we were the four they got.

But we have one final piece of hope.

It's a good thousand years old, and it took just as long to find it as it did to translate it from the strange coiling ancient language of my ancestors but we did it…Shikamaru did it, rather.

A time-altering jujtsu.

"Are we all ready?" Sakura asks, as if we have any other choice.

I nod anyway, and set the scroll onto the table. It's a Hyuuga scroll, I'm the only Hyuuga left, it's my duty to use the scroll and take us back. Or rather, take Sakura back.

She's the only one of us with a pivotal role in Naruto and Sasuke's growth from start to finish, it has to be her above all else.

"Alright," I breathe, "let's get started."

I pour everything I have into the scroll, so do my only remaining allies…my friends. I can feel it, I can feel all their chakra swirling around and coiling in the scroll.

But I can feel something else too, something dark…something ancient.

"Wait I-!"

And the world exploded into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

It takes a few days to figure out where I am in the timeline, but I soon catch on.

We're in the wake of the Kyuubi attack, Naruto's birth, and the death of the fourth and his wife. My poor sensei, I let her down so much in my life, this time, I could do better.

I was home currently, my chakra exhaustion a result of taking on high ranking missions after the loss of so many ninja. My teammates, Anko and Hiro, were both in their own states of recovery.

I remembered this, I remembered the way we threw ourselves into missions to drown out the fact that our sensei was gone. Anko's parents were gone, my father would soon be gone and my mother would join him in a few months. Hiro had lost a brother, we had all lost so much in the Kyuubi attack.

I was only thirteen, this much I knew.

But other thirty years had passed, and whilst I could use grief as an excuse to throw myself into my training, truly I had long since recovered from the loss of my father.

Not to say I didn't miss him every day, and not to say that I wouldn't have given my life once again to make it just a little further back to see him once last time, but I had grieved away most of my teenage years, I didn't intend to make the same mistake twice.

So whilst we recovered from over working, we trained. We trained with each other, with trained with as many Hyuuga's as we could convince to spar us and as many other young ninja that we could. What I learned, was that I used to be a real shit ninja.

Anko was pretty spectacular in herself, and Hiro had always been gifted but I had always been pretty…below average I guess. How I had survived so long I couldn't really say, I'm just glad that I did.

But this time was different, I may not have my chakra reserves but I still knew all the forms, and the techniques and I could build on that. So when I wasn't sparring with every kid in the village, or helping with village clean up, I was training in secret on my old…new techniques?

Of course, after four months, I finally got found out.

" **GREETINGS YOUTHFUL FRIEND!"**

Now, I didn't _mean_ to throw my earth technique towards him, but after living my life in survival mode for about…damn I didn't even know how many years they all just blurred together after a while, it was hard to switch off.

Fortunately in my current barely-a-teen state it didn't have all that much power behind it, and he barely had to swat it aside.

Still, he looked impressed.

"Ah…sorry about that."

He flapped at me "Not at all my pale friend! It was I that startled you!" He gave me a grin and a young-Gai pose, hands on hips, head held high…booty all perky and weird.

"Well," I smiled back "no harm no foul."

The sun was starting to set, I knew I'd have to get home soon. There was a curfew on at the Hyuuga compound right now, another attack on the infant Hinata. I could never understand why anyone would harm a baby, never.

"That technique…it's quite advanced."

I avoided looking at him and shrugged, "Our village is in ruin, other clans are currently trying to kill the future of my own clan…desperate times and all that."

It was true, everyone was desperate right now. I wasn't the only one learning things I shouldn't have been.

"I wasn't aware the Hyuuga's practised techniques other than their bloodline trait."

I sighed "They don't, and we aren't supposed to practise other techniques without the heads permission or our Sensei with us for guidance."

I turned to him, somewhat worried about it. I knew Gai from various missions and general socialising but I'd hardly call him a friend. But I did know the man he would become.

"Could you…maybe not tell anyone I'm doing this?"

I tried to look sheepish, and fluttered my lashes at him a little bit. I had always been terrible at flirting and manipulating, that's why I never got those kinds of missions handed to me.

He gave me a shining grin and a thumbs up, he practically had his own background going on right now.

"Of course! I would never betray your trust…" He lowered his voice and dropped the act "and between you and me, the village needs dedicated ninja who aren't afraid to bend the rules every now and then."

I smiled at him, he was a good man, and a great ninja. I knew this.

"Thanks Gai, I've got to get back to the compound, curfew." I shrugged, but he nodded.

"Then let me escort you back! That way, if you are late I can say it was my own fault."

"Ah, Gai you don't have to-"

"Nonsense! Friends always help each other out."

Well, I guess I'd made a new friend then.

When I got back to the compound, Hiro sneered at Gai's back as he left. Hiro wasn't a people person, he was a cantankerous boy at the best of times and a mean one at the worst.

He ushered me inside the gates as they shut. I could hear the rest of the village around us, their lives still going on whilst ours were put on hold in favour of the main house.

"You shouldn't affiliate with Maito Gai, he's not going to make anything of himself with his mediocre taijujtsu."

Heeeere we go.

"Hiro, just tell me where I'm staying tonight and shut up."

The compound had been hit hard, we'd lost a lot of our buildings, the one I was living in included. For now, we were being pushed around different rooms until the rebuild was done.

"Main chalet, across from Hiashi and his son."

I remembered this too, I never encountered either of them the first time around but small things had already begun to change. I never spoke to Gai first time around, and less than ten minutes ago he had declared me his friend. Small changes maybe, but changes nonetheless.

"Thank you, I'm going to bed so goodnight Hiro, I'll see you tomorrow for clean-up duty."

I strolled away, leaving him scowling in my wake. Hiro liked to scowl, or maybe his face was just moulded that way, who knew. The first time around, I needed directions to the chalet, this time I knew it. I knew the entire layout of the compound, I had studied it.

I had planned to rebuild it, as the last Hyuuga, it had fallen onto my shoulders to start over. Not that I knew who to start over with, the five of us had survived completely unaware if anyone else had made it out too. But I knew it, back to front and upside down and round and round.

My room was small, well-furnished and warm and comforting in all the ways a home should be. I hid a blade beneath my pillow, and one above the door frame. I could hear Neji babbling to his father across the hall, I could always remember how much Hizashi had loved his son.

It was the purest kind of love.

This, was when the first change truly happened.

Something clattered to the floor outside, a vase or pot, one of the decorations of the branch chalet. I froze; I stood stock still for three, four, then five seconds before I moved silently towards the door. I could hear the faintest of footsteps, a well-trained ninja no doubt, and no doubt someone I wouldn't have heard before but this time I did.

I would never, _not_ freeze at loud noises, and I would always be suspicious, some habits you just couldn't ever break.

I waited for the song, it didn't come. I had to remind myself I was in the compound, my life wasn't at threat. Well, not like it was before anyway. Another creeping step, away from my door, towards Hizashi's.

Neji was still babbling, but I could hear Hizashi's much louder footsteps coming towards the door to inspect the noise.

I heard it open, and swung mine open at the same time.

The ninja launched at Hizashi but I was there, barging into his back and dragging him to the side of the door into the open corridor. I heard Neji crying, the face of the ninja was covered and he was clearly armed. The dagger he held wasn't like a ninja blade, it was ornate, delicate and prim.

I broke it between my hands, cutting myself in the process. It didn't matter, I had to survive, I had to live long enough to rebuild.

I slammed his head hard into the ground, three or four times before Hizashi's voice woke me up. The assailant was out, head bloody and eyes rolled up into his skull. But he was definitely alive, even with all my strength, he was alive.

I was struck with the horrid realisation, that I had grown accustomed to crushing people's skulls between my hands, and that I was surprised this one hadn't broken like an egg.

I pushed away and sat hard onto my butt, arms shakenly supporting me. Other Hyuuga were arriving, alerted by Hizashi's yells. Hizashi pulled me up, and tugged me into his and Neji's room.

He pushed the door gently shut behind me, and I heard him delegating with other Hyuuga.

Neji stared up at me, so did Hinata, and her mother.

"Ah, my lady I…there was ah…ummmm…."

She saw my hands and gasped, laying Hinata gently down to rush over and inspect them.

"Come, let's get those wrapped up alright? Hiashi and Hizashi will be here soon I know, come it's alright."

My arms were still shaking as she lead me to a sink, let me run my hands under the cool water and fumbled about for a bandage or wrap.

Neji babbled and Hinata cooed, it was adorable.

"Here, let's just…wrap those up…"

She stuck her tongue out as she concentrated, and when she was content she pulled me over to sit beside her on the floor with the children.

Neji peered up at me with big, gorgeous eyes. He had always been so damn cute, and Hinata too.

I sat with them, and waited.


	3. Chapter 3

When both Hiashi and Hizashi came back, they immediately scooped up their respective children, and wife in Hiashi's case. Once he had checked on Neji, who tripped and stumbled back over to my lap with a happy gurgle, Hizashi came to see me.

"Are you alright? You had me worried earlier."

I sort of shrugged with my hands under my butt as Neji crawled over me.

"I uh…I just sort of…did it?"

He smiled, and took away the option of hiding when he pulled my hands (gently) from under my butt by the sleeves of my white Hyuuga garb. He unwrapped them, and scowled at the resulting cut.

"You could have lost a finger grabbing a blade like that, you were lucky it wasn't anything more imposing than a decoration."

I said nothing, I wasn't really thinking about decoration, more about the threat. I was still rattled at how adjusted I had become at killing in the other world, survival was one thing but it was like I had simply gone _numb_ to the fact that I had the power to take lives away with my bare hands.

I didn't want to play god like that, I was fed up of gods.

"I think it's best you return to your room for now, it's getting late and I think everyone has had quite enough excitement for the day." Lord Hiashi said, he was frowning down at Hinata, brushing her hair back gently.

They really loved their children.

"Thank you Lord Hyuuga, goodnight Lady Hyuuga, Lady Hinata, Hizashi, Neji."

I bowed to them, and walked briskly out of the door to my own temporary housing across the hall. I pushed the door closed behind me and sunk to the floor against it.

Too close, that was too close.

I pushed the palms of my hands into my eyes until I saw spots behind my lids, and forced myself to stumble over to bed. I needed sleep, nightmare plagued sleep, was better than nothing.

I was awake before the rest of the household, as soon as daylight started trickling through my window I was awake and alert.

I grabbed my backpack and hoisted it up onto my shoulder, we wouldn't be meeting for a little while yet but there was no point tossing and turning and failing to sleep when I could be out enjoying the morning.

As expected, Gai was already there waiting. I remembered this mission, I had arrived originally with my team and we had waited and hour and a half for Kakashi to turn up.

This time, I plopped myself onto a rock not too far from Gai and watched him pummel the shit out of a tree stump.

He didn't notice for a long while, not until he'd finished three hundred odd on either leg but it didn't matter to me. I watched his form, even now at barely seventeen; he had the form of someone twice his age.

Gai was a genius, always overshadowed by Kakashi but a genius nonetheless.

He finished his set and turned, startling when he finally noticed me.

"Ah! Greetings Shoko! What brings you here so early? Our mission does not begin for another hour!"

I shrugged "Felt like enjoying the dawn."

I had heard mutterings in the compound lately, about how I 'enjoyed the dawn' a lot more than I used to. Not that it bothered me much, sleep wasn't my friend currently.

"Well…perhaps we could spar?" He suggested smiling at me "Warm ourselves up until the others arrive."

I nodded; it would be good to get a quick sparring session in before the mission today. Hiro didn't get along with anyone that wasn't a Hyuuga, so working out some aggression beforehand would be good.

Gai set himself in his stance, palms open, legs wide and feet slightly in turned with one ever so slightly ahead of the other. Powerful, balanced, ready to strike. Sometimes he reminded me of a snake.

I set myself sideways on, feet flat and hands pulled into my hips with fists clenched and elbows tucked. A Hyuuga stance, more advanced than most Hyuuga would use but one I had grown accustomed to.

He danced forwards first, and I ducked aside several well aimed punches and a kick to the side. I flashed in, hands darting in and out to try and make contact with his sensitive muscles. I didn't use my byakugan, as far as the family was concerned, I hadn't activated it.

He won, he was faster and more able than I was in my current state, but at least I wasn't the only one sweating by the end of it.

"You are very good Shoko! I was most surprised at your agility."

Shrugging, I tugged my garb back into place and tightened the sash around the waste. Hyuuga clothing was built for speed, but also protected our own chakra points should we be attacked by one of our own. We were a suspicious lot.

"I've been doing extra training."

He nodded "Like before, yes I recall…maybe I give you some advice my friend?"

He seemed unsure, but I nodded, advice is always welcome and it had been a long time since I had been given any. I didn't want to take anyone for granted. Not this time.

"I have noticed…whispers…amongst other Hyuuga about you."

I frowned, unconsciously standing taller and holding my head higher, hostile. Whispers couldn't be good.

"Of what sort?"

"They say you have been training with a violent sort of obsession…they are worried about you."

Ah, I relaxed. Worry was fine, families worried about each other all the time. Still, it meant I would need to be more careful about my morning sessions. Or find another way to train.

"No need, I've been lazy, I'm just not being lazy anymore."

He went to say more but I was already walking towards the caravans, my team would be arriving soon, I wanted to be there to meet them as they did so.

I heard Gai follow but paid him now mind, he got the message, I was done talking.

"Hey there Sho!" Anko called with a grin and a wave, and I grinned back and hugged her tightly when we met.

I stuck my tongue out at Hiro, and caught the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. He liked me, even if he pretended he hated everyone he didn't really. Gai came over and winked at them both with a big shiny, toothy grin. Anko sniggered and Hiro turned up his nose, but Gai didn't care.

"We're just waiting on Kakashi now." He told the three of us, and I sat down, making myself comfortable on the grass beside the caravans.

They still had a little left to pack up, and Gai went marching around to check how many caravans there were and how many people there were and all that sort of thing we didn't have to do because we weren't in charge.

Of course, Kakashi rolled up almost two hours late, but just as the caravans were getting ready to go. Perfect timing, but still, annoying.

"Kakashi! You are late!"

Anko flinched at Gai's volume, she hated mornings, and even now I could see the irritation. Not that she'd bothered to hide it, she glared daggers into his silver hair as he walked amiably past us.

"A ninja should arrive on time; you are a sore excuse for a leader." Hiro sneered, head raised and nose high.

Anko smacked him upside the head and walked past him, and smacked Kakashi upside the head as well before marching angrily towards the head caravan.

"That translates as 'let's get going dunderheads, in Anko-nese." I smiled before trotting after her, leaving the boys behind.


	4. Chapter 4

It's the same dull mission I remember, except for the nagging headache behind my eyes but I just ignore it. I know there is very little fighting, a few sneaky little ninja formerly of a nearby town looking to take advantage of the caravan and that isn't for another day yet.

So I just walk alongside my allocated caravan, Anko a few caravans ahead of me and Kakashi a few behind. Gai holding the rear, Hiro leading at the front, delegating.

He'd always been good at that.

For a moment, I'm back where I was, a flash of a memory of a future I don't want to let happen. Hiro trying to delegate between our small group of Hyuuga and some other clan, Hiro trying to keep the peace as our elected leader.

Hiro's face going slack as the dagger pierced him right between the eyes, the way he crumpled into the dirt and what was left of the Hyuuga was decimated. All but me, and two others.

Needless to say they didn't last long.

And then I'm back, back in the past to change the future. My head throbs a little more; it makes me feel woozy for only a moment before I carry on.

I already want to go home. I remember this feeling all too well, that homesickness.

It's boring, so I throw a stone at the back of Anko's head.

She spins, momentarily angry, before noticing the grin on my face.

She goes to reach in her pocket, then looks over my shoulder and scowls before turning back to her post with a half glance towards me. Frowning I turn, and see Kakashi looking dead ahead, I couldn't see any disapproval but then I'd never been good at reading people.

There went my fun, and my attention was drawn immediately back to my worsening headache. As if I need that right now, a stupid mission with a stupid fight and nothing to show for it. Sure we got paid, but all Hyuuga gave a commission of their payments to the clan for upkeep on our compound.

Not that I had a regular room yet, I was still awaiting permanent housing after the Kyuubi attack.

It made me wonder why Kakashi was here, it was no secret he had viewed the Hokage as something of a father figure after his was an utter failure and then just went off and died.

I'd of course never met his father; I'd only heard the rumours.

"Excuse me miss?"

I turned, a lady had her head poked slightly out of her caravan window, she looked quite young.

I smiled "Yes m'lady?"

She went rosy red and stuttered "Oh no miss…I'm just one of the ladies in waiting for our lady and our lord…"

I didn't mind, even her ladies in waiting were dressed better than we were in our get ups. The Hyuuga garb was regal but annoying on a child. I hated getting mistaken for a boy but it happened so regularly in this get up that I'd had to learn to ignore it.

"You are under our protection; it's a ninja's duty to be respectful regardless of position."

She was still blushing a rosy pink, and winced as the caravan rolled over a bump before she continued.

"I was wondering if you thought we'd come into any danger on this trip? We've made the journey many times before unguarded…"

Of course, this track had been safe until the attack. Before the attack nobody would have assaulted our lords and ladies but things were different now. Now we were short on ninja, practically undefended. The only thing keeping us safe from imminent invasion was the third Hokage's reputation.

"Because of recent…difficulties, within the village the Hokage thought it best to add a guard to this route, simply as a precaution." I smiled brightly at her "As you said, you've made this journey many times before, this one will unlikely be any different."

She thanked me before ducking her head back into the caravan and shutting the window with a soft click. When I was certain she wasn't looking I pinched the bridge of my nose hard, god my head hurt. What had been a niggling headache behind my eyes was growing into a full-blown migraine.

A hand landed on my shoulder, making me jump.

"You seem off kilter." Kakashi said, his way of asking if I was alright.

"Just a headache," I shrugged his hand away "It'll pass."

He didn't mention it again, but as we settled down with the caravan that night, I was not on duty. Instead I got sent to sleep the night away along with Hiro whilst the others took turns in keeping watch.

The next day, I felt even worse.

Today was the day we were attacked, I remembered that strangely well. Funnily enough, all those memories that had faded as I had grown older, as memories tend to do, had become sharp and more real. The memories that were most recent, of survival and Kaguya, they were the ones growing fuzzy.

I had to remember though; I couldn't forget why I had come back.

My head throbbed, I could practically feel the blood pumping in my veins at this point but I just grimaced and kept walking, talking to the same lady in waiting I had yesterday and trying not to act like I thought my brain was going to implode.

The attack was coming soon; I really needed to be on form for it.

Still, it was growing harder and harder to concentrate on the day, difficult to even see straight. I stumbled, barely regaining my footing before I fell flat on my face.

I glanced behind me, but Kakashi was round the other side of the caravan and hadn't seen my slip, and Anko wasn't facing my direction either.

I righted and kept going, unseeing of the girl in the caravan who had seen my stumble. An hour later and the caravan came to a stop at the entrance to a quaint little village. About two hundred people living here, mostly the elderly and a few young families.

All related some way or another, a family town from generations ago. I remember thinking it was so pretty, so peaceful and warm.

I don't even know what happened to it after the war; I could have passed through it and wouldn't have even known. Kaguya left nothing behind, she levelled cities and great landscapes into nothing but desolation.

Something pinged behind my eyes and I barely stifled a groan, Kakashi was talking to the girl from the caravan, she looked upset.

I let them talk, I'd been polite and courteous all the way, so it wasn't anything I had done and she had had no problem with me last time.

I found some shade, I was hot, and the sun was making my headache worse.

 _I cannot wait for this to be over._

"Hey Sho," I turned back to the caravans, Hiro was waving me over to him so I loped over, practically dragging my feet behind me.

"Sheesh no need to look so miserable, just because it's a bit dull that isn't a bad thing."

I nodded, blinking hard to shake the wavy lines from my sight.

"I know Hiro, more tired than anything."

He hummed, looking less than impressed. Perhaps this was just tiredness, I mean, I was up at the crack of dawn after all.

"Alright everyone," Kakashi called to us "We'll stop here for the night."

I scowled, we didn't do that last time, last time we travelled through.

I had a squelching feeling in my stomach, already, the timeline had changed.


	5. Chapter 5

It hadn't been planned, Kakashi had intended to travel straight though in one night and be home in two days. He didn't like being away from the village right now, not with the death of his Sensei still looming. Just thinking about it made his stomach feel full of snakes.

However, one of the civilians had told him something rather concerning. Something was wrong with Shoko Hyuuga. He of course had already spoken to her previously, but apparently she was rather good at hiding illness.

The civilian had just told him she was stumbling, falling around, slurred words, general bad things for her health. He was the leader of this mission, and by far the best ninja amongst them, so it was his responsibility to ensure the health of his teammates.

He hadn't meant to be agitated with her, she looked pathetic enough without that tinge of confused hurt, but he wanted to go home.

He wanted to be near his sensei.

Instead he was going to have to spend another night at least here, on the road and away from home. Children ran past him, and Anko came creeping out of Shoko's tent with some the family's doctor. Anko nodded, frowning, at the doctor and said a thanks before she came walking over to him.

"He says she's exhausted, and she's got lingering trauma from a previous injury that he wants us to get looked at as soon as we get back home."

Trauma? That didn't sound good, and Anko looked anxious.

"A mission injury?"

She shook her head "I've been on every mission she's ever been on, and I'd have known about something like _that._ "

She didn't elaborate; instead she went over to Hiro to have a hushed discussion about whatever this mystery injury could be. Hiro looked troubled, and as the day drew to a close the two grew more and more secretive.

Kakashi was just going to see Shoko when one of the Lords approached him; he smiled under his mask wishing he could leave.

"Hello there," He looked nervous "some if the children went exploring earlier and several haven't returned…it's probably just children being children but could you-"

He wrinkled his eyes up in the smile "I can go along with one of my teammates to search for the children immediately, it's no bother."

The lord thanked him again and again before turning to a woman that must have been one of the fretting mothers, Kakashi left them to it as he collected Anko to go search. Gai and Hiro could stay with the civilians, and with Shoko.

"Anko, some of the children haven't returned," He called to her "we need to go look."

Anko didn't betray the annoyance of being torn from her friend and teammate but came with him, it was growing ever darker as the sun slowly sunk down over the horizon. So they set off in search, together.

Someone is dragging me by the hair. It wakes me up, my mind is an explosion of pain and _surviveescapekaguyarungetaway-_

The knife is under my pillow, I grab the hilt with white knuckles and slash upwards at the arm that has me. A bellow of pain, I've gone straight up his forearm. Good. I dart outside into light, Kaguya could be anywhere. Kaguya was coming. Someone else grabbed my shoulder, another slash deals with him.

Dart underneath a swipe, the world spins and a hand suddenly appears to crack me hard across the face.

It's enough to bring me back to reality, to remind me of where exactly I am.

Woozy, I manage to look up through my hair and locate my teammates. Kakashi looks really, very irritated although his face betrays nothing. It's the way his eyes are slightly thinned, and the fact his arms are stock straight down his sides and not in his pockets that gives it away. He looks like a trained ninja, which is not how Kakashi normally looks.

Gai is scowling, that's why he looks angry. Anko has blood trickling down her head, but her eyes are locked on mine. She doesn't say or do anything, but I know she's telling me to hang on, they have a plan, everything will be alright.

I remember the last time I saw that look, moments before she crushed under Kaguya's foot and barely her body remained. Another hard slap and I catch sight of Hiro, he looks _infuriated._

Never was any good at hiding his emotions, one of his greatest failings for sure.

They're talking, I can't really hear what they're saying but I know it's about money. It's always about money with scumbags like this. But they held me up by the hair; I was clammy and sticky, my head still pounding.

I can hear the sounds of a battle that hasn't yet happened; I can feel Kaguya's eyes are on me. It's sickening, and I try to hold in my lurching stomach's desires.

I can feel something else too, a pressure in my mind trying to break through. It's the darkness, that same darkness from the scroll. It's there, pushing harder and harder into my mind and almost my soul. I can feel them twining together. It's repulsive.

I'm being shaken I realise, and I try and blink away the agony in my head and actually pay attention to what's going on.

"Runt! Look at me runt!"

 _ **Who is he calling a runt?**_

Scowling I look up at him, hair clinging to my face, I don't know who that voice is in my mind but I feel a pool of unease settle inside me. It's worse than the feeling of sickness from before.

"-ittle face, ain't she? So nice…"

Anko is gritting her teeth, I can almost hear them grinding together from here. He yanks me up again, closer to him. His breath is like dirt and day old fish. He spits as he talks, little peaks of stubble where he can't shave close to his skin poke out.

I see his jugular, it's very close to me, and if I could muster the chakra I could poke his life out and be done with it.

I'm dropped to the ground before I can twitch my fingers towards him, and my head explodes when it hits the dirt.

 _ **So…this is my new host…pretty pathetic.**_

Cringing, I try and push myself up onto at least my knees, but someone plants their foot in the back of my head and pushes me back down to the ground. The dirt tastes like dirt.

"Right, go fetch the Lord and as much gold as you can."

The ground vibrates as most of their forces rush towards our clients; I can hear the women screaming. There is still a foot in the back of my head, it hurts.

It's a lot of hard work, but I know my teammates can't see with my face down but I activate my Byakugan. It stings to do so, my body protesting against the chakra use when it's in such bad shape but it lets me know who is left.

Only seven, there are only seven of them.

I just need to take out two, and the others can do the rest whilst I pass out for a few hours.

 _ **You're such a small thing…why did you come back?**_

 _Come back? Who are you?_

Acknowledging the dark voice in my mind, the one that feels ancient and evil and makes my heart pang the same way it did when I first found that time scroll.

 _ **Why did you use my scroll?**_

An easy question, with an easy answer.

 _To save everyone, to stop Kaguya. To protect. Always, always to protect._

There isn't anything to see, but I feel the devilish smile and hear the soft brittle cackle rattle my bones.

 _ **Then two is not enough. I'll kill them all.**_

 **Hola!**

 **A reviewer pointed out that Anko is trained under Orochimaru, but for the sake of this story I'm taking some creative license, in that in this verion Anko started her training with Orochimaru but was found and returned to the village to complete her training here, hence why she is in Team Kushina.**


	6. Chapter 6

Waking up is difficult. There's a dull throb in my head, and vague feeling in my mind that I've forgotten something important. I breath softly, worried there's someone there waiting to attack me. I open my eyes slightly, peering through my lashes.

It's bright, way brighter than I remember this world being. Kaguya has hidden the world in deep clouds; the air itself smells like death at all times.

It hits me again, as it will keep hitting me for many years, that Kaguya hasn't struck, I'm in Konoha. The hospital to be precise.

The only other person here, is Kakashi Hatake.

He's watching me, he knows I'm awake.

I open my eyes, and try to talk but my tongue is sandpaper against the inside of my mouth and I just splutter. Kakashi walks over, and helps me sup some water.

"You should take it easy, you've been in here almost ten days."

Scowling I pull away from the glass, "Ten days?" I croak "What happened to the mission?"

He smiles, putting the glass down.

"Mission was a success, even with those thugs involved it was an easy dispatch."

I nod, I remembered the thugs, I remembered being pulled from the tent but…after that there's almost nothing.

"Who saved me?"

I don't particularly notice his eyes thin, some hidden confirmation I don't know about. Not for many years.

"Anko and I, do you remember at all?"

I think, but it only makes me wince. Trying to remember that time just makes my head shrill with pain.

I shake my head "No, thinking makes my brain angry."

He nods "That's alright; we came and dispatched them pretty quickly whilst Gai and Hiro saved the Lord. Our mission was, overall, a success."

I thank him and fall into silence. I feel weak, getting so sick on a mission would look poor on my records. I had to train harder.

"The doctors say this was most likely a result of _overworking._ " Kakashi tells me sternly "So maybe you should take some time to rest, ease up on your training."

Then he shrugs "But it's down to you, I need to let your teammates know you're awake. They've been pretty anxious."

It suddenly strikes me that Kakashi isn't my friend as such, and wouldn't have visited for any casual reason.

"Why are you really here?"

He pauses by the door, turns and smiles at me.

"Because I care of course."

He exits, still smiling. I decide I don't trust that smile.

It isn't long before Anko and Hiro come in, Hiro in front and Anko behind. She looks anxious, but I put it down to my sickness. I feel bad for them both.

Hiro, a budding medical nin immediately checks my charts, before bopping me over the head with it.

"Overworking? Shoko really?"

I smile, sheepish, and vaguely apologetic.

"All these early morning training sessions aren't helping you Shoko," He scorns "tell her Anko!"

Anko stammers before joining in "Eh…yeah, Hiro's right, you're putting your body under too much strain."

He frowns at her, but immediately turns his rant back to me. She's thinking about something, I just don't know what.

"I'll be out of here soon," I tell them even though I really have no idea "and I'll stay on light training till I feel one hundred."

He doesn't believe me, but there isn't much he can say or do. A nurse comes in and ushers them away.

"You'll be transferred to the compound by the end of the week!" Hiro calls to me before the door closes, and that's a relief in itself.

I hate this damn hospital. So many poor souls were trapped here for so long, the one time we managed to find Konoha, it was because Sakura remembered the layout of this very building. So many beds still full of the dead.

I lay back down, and try and get some rest.

Anko has already done what she can, she knows threatening someone like Kakashi isn't the best idea but she can't see any other way to protect her teammate and sister.

So she threatens him, before they get back to the village, she pushes a kunai against his throat and tells him that if he tells anyone what he saw, if he gets Shoko into any kind of trouble, she will kill him.

"That wasn't her Kakashi," She snarls as much as she begs "I won't have her accused of anything when I know it wasn't her!"

He agrees, but she doesn't believe him.

It means that Shoko is at risk, so she confides in possible the only other person who can help her. She confides in Hiro.

"A black Byakugan? I don't think such a thing exists." He muttered, they're in her small apartment but she doesn't take any risks.

She's soundproofed the place with a jujtsu, to keep unwanted ears well at bay. She's got the curtains drawn to, lots of ninja can lip read and she needs to ensure her teammate is safe.

"I know, but I saw it Hiro, and so did Kakashi."

Hiro is worried, he gnaws on his bottom lip whenever he gets worried, and plays with his long locks too much.

"So, he's most likely told the third."

Anko shrugs "I don't know, I threatened him-"

"You _threatened_ Kakashi Hatake?"

"-that if he told anyone I'd kill him."

Hiro gapes at her, he'd always known Anko would do anything for Shoko and for him, but she didn't think she'd go as far as to threaten another ninja. Especially one as powerful as Kakashi Hatake of all people.

Hiro pinches the bridge of his nose, "Do you think he'll tell anyone?"

Anko shrugs "I really don't know Hiro. I hope not."

It leaves them in something of a dilemma. Shoko had made it clear in the hospital that she didn't have any real memories of what happened when Anko and Kakashi found her, and Anko couldn't help but remember that painful moment Shoko had asked what was wrong with her.

She felt like her friend was being controlled, but she didn't know by what, and if she told anyone they would assume immediately that she had been compromised.

Right now, she well could be compromised, but Anko just couldn't let them take her friend away for that kind of interrogation.

She wouldn't let that happen to her, not when Anko _knew_ her friend was innocent.

"Okay," Hiro sighs "what do we do now?"

Anko looks fiercely determined when she answers.

"We keep her safe."


End file.
